Collector for electric traction.



R. C. SAYER.

COLLECTOR FOR ELECTRIC TRACTION.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12. 1912. V Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

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R. C. SAYER.

COLLECTOR FOR ELECTRIC TRACTION.

' I APPLICATION HLED JULY 12, IQIZ. 1,166,637. Patented Jan.4,- 1916.

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R. c. SAY- ER. I COLLECTOR FOR ELECTRIC TRAGTION.'

AP'PucAnoN FILED JULYIZ, m2.

Patented Jan.4,'1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- R. SAYER.

COLLECTOR FOR ELECTRIC TRACTION.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1912.

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Patented Jan.- 4, 1916.

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APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1912. v

I Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

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have invented certain new and useful Im-" ROBERT 000KB sea nner REDLAND, NEAR BRISTOL, ENGLAND.

' COLLECTOR FOR ELECTRIC TRACTION.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT COOKE SAYER, a subject of the King of Great Britain, r6 siding at Redland, near Bristol, in' the county of Gloucester, Kingdom ofEngland,

provements in LJOllQCtOI'S for Electric Traction, of which the following is a specification. I My invention provides an improved collector for electric traction which enables any number of motor cars running on parallel tracks and drawing driving current from a common conductor line, to pass each other without any complicated interference of their trolley collectors.

The invention is shown in detail by the following specification and drawings, in which, I

Figure l is a sectional side elevation of a trolley in relation to its carrying rails and.

conductors. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1, with another'trolley shown n section passing it on 1ts ra1l on the same side of the main conductors, the positive arm being 1 shown broken to showthe contact wheels,

although shown as passing one another synchronously' with the passing ofthe trolleys, their actual passing occurslater. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan at the line AA Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan at the line B- -B Fig 1 Fig. 5 a section at .the line CC Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section of the main rails, conduc tors,: and a contacting wheel at supports.

Fig. 7 a section at the line D-D Fig. 6. Fig 8 an end view in three parts, the upper part being similar to Fig. 2 with 1ts 'two trolleys duplicated the other side of the main conductors, the inner two are carried on the main rails, the right hand one with ,out stoppinghaving displaced a trolley standing with its rail up, and diverted it to the outside position upon its own railwhich was lowered for the purpose, the outer. left hand trolley is passing theinner one with -out stopping, upon the lowered rail of the inner trolley as it obtains current and re-: turns it to the main conductor, the outer trolleys receiving and returning the current through the inner, those on the right hand doing so throughfthe frames of theircon-' taet wheels; The center partofF-ig' 8 is'a sectioninthree parts at the line FF Fig. 9 and shows the means for adjusting the cable, one only of the four vehicles served by the four trolleysbeing shown fas the Specification of Letters Patent. l P t nt d Jam 4,1 1 Application filed Ju1y 12, 1912. Serial No. 709,110. i

third, lower part of the ig. 8. Fig. 9 is in part a section at the line G G Fig. 8. Fig.

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10 is a halfsection at theline H-H Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 a'sectional elevation at the line I-I Fig. 8.

In the drawings a indicates the main positive conductor, 6 the negative, 0 the side rail for one set of vehicles 6, d that for the others,each spaced at a distance from a and b so as to enable their being connected together, and to the conductors a. and 6, through their supports f, as shown in Fig 6."

The trolley h Fig 1 consists of the wheels 9 which run on the rails c or d,with spindles z, in proper bearings j, within a frame 70 formed in two parts connected by bolts Z that act as slide guidesto the bearings j which are so placed asto rest against the bolts Z and slide thereon when 7 they are. thrust apart'against springsm, only one of which is. shown in section in the drawings, as f0l lows.:'Above and below, the frame 70 carries aiturntable g, each with an insulated armfr, a frame 8, a .contactbevel flange wheel t somewhat coned and free on its spindle-which it is able to traverse vertically and "run against the positive conductor a, and 1ts fellow agalnst the negative ductors afb. It is desirable that thei arm 7" be insulated in order toprevent grounding] the conductor 26 which passes theref. through to makefe'lectri'cal connection with the wheela. A frame '8 has a curved spring u attached to I theframe *8 preferably by" screws. or rivets toease itwhen passing the supportsf which carry on the conductors a and b, branch-conductors a a, b b, Fig. I 6,for them'to' contact with; a'spring 'vattached' to the frames preferably by screws or rivets with curved ends 00 Fig. 8, and a raised backjconnected to them by inclines 3 to ease it when passingaround the frame 8' of another trolley'fi when twoivehiclese Fig. 2 0 .155, as follows: The trolleyh also has abridge rail jp of greater depth, than: the rails '0 d, formedv withfknifej edge ends 8 ofless depth than the rails 0 d,jand inj clines 0. taperingthem, and isf'connected by arm levers z t'ozhin'gejon the'frame at 1;"'

the arms 2 carry one end of the springs 2 at 3 that are connected to the frame is ate to keep'the'rail p raised when itis intended its .vt'roll'eyh shall' passi over therail p of p another trolley 7L, and when it is raised the upper table 9, its arm 7', frame 8 and wheel 6' are raised by the pin 11 fixed on the arm a acting on a flange 10 on the table 9; the same pin 11 carries the links 12 12 which carry the link 13 connecting with the lever 14 which is pivotally pinned on the frame 76 at 15, the other end of which connects by the link 16 and swivel pin 17 the lower table 9 to it with its arm 1" frame 8 and wheel 25. When desired, the special negative conductor Z), the table 9, arm 1", frame 8, and contact wheel t that act against it are omitted, and the rail 0 or cl is used instead. lVhen it is desired a trolley it shall be ready for another to pass around it upon its rail 79, Fig. 2 strain by hand or in any suitable manner is put upon the flexible cable 5 which pulls against the force of the spring 2 to bring its knife edge ends 8, Fig. 3 against the main rail 0, the top table its arm 7", frame 3, and wheel 2? are lowered,-and the lower table 9 with its similar parts are raised, by a second pin 9 on the levers a acting on the flange 10 of the top table 5/ together with the horizontal action of the spring w, thus enabling the wheels 9 of the other trolley h traversing the main rail 0 to traverse the inclines 0 against the springs m, take the several positions shown dotted on Fig. 1, raise the flange of the top wheel 9 above, and lower the bottom one below the main rail 0, and thereby enable the trolley it to pass over the bridge-rail p of the former trolley 72. around clear of it laterally,

and again run upon the main rail 0 as the springs m draw them together.

The spindle i of the lower wheel 9 carries the end of a lever 18 pivoted on the frame is at 19 and'at the other end connects a cord or link 20, Figs. 1, 2, 3, passing over a pulley 21 on the frame 74 and connects the arm r at 22 so that as the wheel 9 descends the lower incline 0 of the rail 79 of the trolley h passing, its negative arm 1" frome s and wheel t are opened, from the conductor 5 as shown in the upper and middle dotted positions Fig. 3 to the lower position, the frame 8 being-held in position by the link 23 hinging on it at 2 1 and on the frame it at 25 and enables the cable 5 to pass without contact withthe arm 1. The rail p of the trolley'h is again raised by the vehicle 6 giving the cable 5 slack for the springs 2 to act.

'l'he adjustments of the rail 39 of a trolley 1 negative conductor 27, each of which connects at opposite ends of the shaft 30 with a ring 34c'with which insulated brushes 35 carried on the vehicle 6 at 36 and 37 make contact, and from which conductors 26 lead to and make contact with the motor 38 of the vehicle 6 at 39 by a brush and leave it similarly at 40 to return to the cable 5, trolley rail 39, the main conductors a b and the generator. The conductors 26 and 27 carried on the shaft 30 are covered by flexible insulating ribbons a1 fixed to the ends of the shaft 30 and pass over the contact wheels 33 to effect contact between them at all times. On each side of the contacting wheels 33 the ribbons 11 are returned to and wedged tight over the conductors 26 and 27 by two wheels 42 in each case. The drum 28 is traversed along the shaft 30 and held at any suitable point by actuating an endless cord 43, passing over pulleys ll on the vehicle 0, and connecting at 45 and 4:6 with a frame 47 embracing the drum 28, it is suspended by rings as from the shaft 30, and is prevented from turning by arms 4:9 with stirrups 50 to act against the rods 51 on the vehicle a, and carries wheels 52 to rotate against annular facets 53 on the drum 28 when rotated to adjust the cable 5 to clear parts of another trolley it when passing.

A fast trolley it passes aslow one, Figs. 2 and 801 one at a. stop when its rail p is down, should its rail 22 be up and incon venient to lower it, the same is done by the 7 fast one having its rail 29 lowered, as above, for its leading end 8 to pass between the wheels 9 of the slow, or stopped trolley h, raise and lower them by the inclines 0, swing them out laterally from the main rail 0 or (Z and return them laterally to it by the trailing inclines 0 as above.

l Vhen the trolleys it pass, continuity of the electric circuit is obtained through the conductors a b Fig. 6, their branches (4 a and b b at supports 7, the springs 14 of the frames .9, and a curved end 00 of the raised spring 4), Fig. 2, that bears against the back of the lower spring a) after it has passed above its curved end :0, and where the parts hinge the conductors 26 and 27 are continued by means of spirals 54: to afford flexibility, Figs. 1 and 3.

Four trolleys pass simultaneously and draw positive current from the one conductor a as shown by Fig. 8 on top, where it will be seen, the two trolleys h on each side of the conductors a, or a. and Z) when used are carried on the rails 0 and (Z, and all take the same relative positions as explained for two to pass, except the springs 14 of the frames 5 which meet, and if they and their parts are of equal strength both glance aside momentarily, to be returned by the springs 'w of the tables 9, Fig. 5, against the con ductors a and b, but it is assumed they differ in strength, and one retains contact by its wheel 25, Fig. 8 and thereby supplies all four with current through their frames 8, as before.

. What I claim is 1. A trolley for electric connection comprising in combination a framework, wheels on said framework adapted to run on a guide rail, a collector wheeladapted to run on conductor wires, a reversely curved guide rail section pivotally mounted on said frame, means for adjusting the position of said curved guide rail section including a flexible electric conductor, from the trolley to the vehicle;

I 2. In a collecting system for electric traction in combination, a guide rail, a conductor wire, and a plurality of trolleys mounted to run on said guide rail, each of said trolleys comprising a framework, wheels on said framework adapted to run on said guide rail, a collector wheel supported from said framework running on the conductor, a reversely curved guide rail section pivotally mounted on said trolley frame, means for swinging said guide rail section into position whereby another trolley may pass thereon including a flexible electric conductor fro the trolley to the vehicle.

3. In a collecting system for electric traction in combination, a positive conductor rail, a negative conductor rail, spacers between said conductor rails, supports on said rails, insulation between the rails and the said rail support and spacers, a guide rail, and a plurality of trolleys, each. of said trolleys comprising a frame, flanged guide wieels carried by said trolley frame and Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatentsf adapted to run on said guide rail, flanged connecting wheels supported fromsaid trolleys and adapted to run against said conductor rails, means for conducting the current from said collector wheels through the trolley to and from the vehicle, and means carried by the trolley for allowing another trolley to pass the first trolley Without interrupting the circuit of either trolley.

4. In a collecting system for electric traction in combination, a main rail, a plurality of trolleys having flanged wheels adapted to run above and below said rail and make electric contact therewith, reversely curved rails adjustably mounted on said trolleys and adapted to move into contact with said main rail, a flexible electric cable connected with said-reversely curved rail, springs on said trolley acting normally to hold said reversely curved rail away'from the main rails, and means adapted to adjust the length and lateral position of said flexible cable and thereby put a strain on the curved rail to move the same into contact with the main rail, whereby one trolley is enabled to leave the main rail, pass overthe curved rail of another trolley and return to the main rail after passing around it, without either of the trolleys stopping, when either are running .in either direction, or when one is stopped; together with means for the cable to pass without either meeting any part of a trolley. V i

In testimony whereof I have aflined my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT GOOKE SAYER. Witnesses:

JOHN W. MACKENZIE, ALBERT J ONES.

Washington, D. C. 

